


The One Where She Doesn't Get Off The Plane

by Miss_Pachycephlasaurus



Category: Friends (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-06
Updated: 2017-02-24
Packaged: 2018-09-22 08:51:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9598151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Pachycephlasaurus/pseuds/Miss_Pachycephlasaurus





	1. Chapter 1

She was halfway down the jet way when she heard Phoebe screaming her name at the top of her voice. Immediately her heart dropped. And when she saw Ross standing there, it dropped further.

“Ok, you’re on,” said Phoebe to Ross, and stepped back to give them space, while at the same time completely failing in her attempt to look nonchalant and disinterested. 

“What? What is it? You’re scaring me.” Was it Emma? Monica? Had something happened to someone she loved?

“Okay, thing is...don’t go.” 

“What?”

“Please, please stay with me. I am so in love with you. Please don’t go.”

“Ohmigod,” she said, near tears. It was the only thing she could think to say.

“I know, I know I shouldn’t have waited ‘til now to say it. But I’m, I’m...that was stupid. Okay? I’m sorry, but I’m telling you now. I love you. Do not get on this plane.”

The emotion showed in his voice as well. Rachel couldn’t think. This was just too much. She needed more time.

Time, however, was not something she had a lot of. Already, the airline staff were finishing boarding the plane. She needed to go now. She pulled her hand away from Ross. Why was he making this so hard? Didn’t he know that this was something that was already so difficult for her? Didn’t he know that she had already spent at least one sleepless night debating herself about whether or not she should go?

“I’m so sorry,” she said with a sad shake of her head when she had finally pulled herself free of Ross and his pleas. She couldn’t bear the look of devastation on his face, and didn’t turn back before the door was shut and locked behind her.

On the plane, she couldn’t stop the tears spilling down her face. That wasn’t how she wanted to leave New York. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed the all too familiar number.

“Ross, hi, it’s me.” an uncertain beginning, apropos given her uncertain feelings. “I just got back on the plane, and I just feel awful. That is so not how I wanted things to end with us. It’s just that I wasn’t expecting to see you, and all of a sudden you’re there, and you’re saying these things…” Beautiful things, sure, but also things that pointed to all the reasons they broke up in the first place. 

If he had given her this speech last week when she had first gotten the offer, maybe it would have been different. But instead he had waited, and now she was obligated, once again, to make a choice between Ross and work, but in this case, it was more like choosing between Ross and herself.

“And now I’m sitting here and thinking of all the stuff I should have said, but didn’t. Of course I love you too, of course I do. But this….us? It just doesn’t work. I’m sorry. We have spent so long making each other miserable. I think it’s time for both of us to move on and be happy. This time, I choose me. I’m sorry, Ross. I love you.” She hung up, and flipped the phone closed, the tears still slipping down her face.

All the way to Paris, she kept remembering her would-have-been wedding day. The frenzied cab ride into the city, with the tulle of her custom tailored wedding gown threatening to swallow her whole. This was different. It was a conscious choice, and not a panicked reaction. But it was also the same. A new life in a new city that forced her to leave her old bad habits behind.

In a little while, a feeling of peace settled over her. When she landed, she felt stronger.


	2. Chapter 2

"Sorry to cut you off, Pheebs, but I have to go before I miss my flight."

_"Non non Non. En français"_ Phoebe said.

"No time, sweetie. Give Mike my love. I really have to go."

"Alright Rach. Mike Jr. needs to be put down for his nap anyway. Talk to you next week for our French lesson. _Au revoir_ "

_"Au revoir."_

It had been sweet of Phoebe to help her practice her not-totally-awful French. Turns out she was a better student than Joey, though of course she had the advantage of living in Paris. True to her word, however, Rachel didn't really have much time as she checked and then double checked that she had everything she needed for her trip down to Cannes. Then it was just a quick cab ride to the airport, and a ninety-minute flight.

Rachel's cell phone buzzed, her cab was here. She gathered her things, locked the door behind her and tried to settle the butterflies that had all of a sudden taken refuge in her stomach. She shook them off.

~~~~~~

Finally, she had arrived. She'd just finished checking into her hotel when her phone buzzed again. Joey.

"Hey Joe!" She said, as she flipped the phone open with her thumb and pressed it to her ear.

"Rach! How wild is this?"

"Pretty wild, I guess." 

"We're even staying in the same hotel."

"How do you know _that?_ "

Had she mentioned to Joey where she was staying? She didn't think so.

"Cause I'm looking at the prettiest girl in France right now."

Rach turned, her phone dropping a bit in her hand when she saw him. She flipped it closed, and all but ran toward him. What followed was the best hug she'd had in a good long while. Joey always was a great hugger.

"Look at you," she said when they'd separated. "You're so tan!"

"L.A.'ll do that you ya," Joey said with his already pretty amazing smiled dialed up to eleven. "But look at you. All fashion-y and still as pretty as the first day I saw you."

"Thanks. So, when's your movie showing, Joey?"

"Not 'til tomorrow, but I got a lot of press stuff to do, and I have to go to a bunch of the other films and parties and stuff. It's good for the studio or something."

"Oh, I was hoping to get to spend more time with you."

"You can. A lot of my invitations are plus one, and I was kinda hoping we could go together." his voice dropped "I'm actually kinda nervous."

"Sure, we can do that. I just have to get my bag up to my room."

Without another word, Joey hefted her bag to his shoulder. "Lead the way."

That afternoon was great. She and Joey watched a few foreign films (well, okay, they whispered jokes at each other through all of them), and Joey introduced her to his costars while the cast sat for a half-dozen interviews with a half-dozen different reporters. 

"How long have you and Joey been together?" asked the impossibly thin woman next to her while they were waiting for the interviews to wrap up. She was the supermodel girlfriend of one of Joey's castmates. 

"Oh, we're not together. But we've been friends since '94"

"Really? Just, the way he talks about you. It's cute." Before Rachel could answer that, the last reporter called for silence. Once the interview was over, Joey was at her side again.

"We got a couple hours before the parties start. What do you say we go back to the hotel, and I have a sandwich and a nap while you get ready?"

"Sounds great!"

"I'll be past your room to pick you up at nine."

As they strolled back to the hotel, they were hand in hand. It felt like no time had passed at all. The butterflies Rachel had felt earlier floated away.


End file.
